


Come in from the Rain

by debwalsh



Series: Bingo-Bingo [13]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/F, First Meetings, Gift Fic, M/M, Omega Bucky Barnes, On the Run, Past Abuse, Protective Steve Rogers, Safehouses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 08:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18518020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/debwalsh/pseuds/debwalsh
Summary: Bucky Barnes has risked everything to escape a life not worth living.  But it’s the end of the bus line and he’s stranded in a nowhere town with no place to go.  Until a kind security guard points him to an unexpected sanctuary and a possible future.A gift fic for the incredible thepinupchemist to thank her for all the wonderful hours I’ve spent reading her work, and maybe something to be a little pick me up while she’s under the weather.  I hope you enjoy!This also fills my U3 square in Bucky Barnes Bingo - On the Run.





	Come in from the Rain

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thepinupchemist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepinupchemist/gifts).



> This is the first of several gift fics I’m working on for folks whose days I’d like to brighten a little. What better way than to express the sentiment with a bit of Stucky?
> 
> Trigger warnings at the end.

Bucky got off the bus with all the other passengers at this, the last stop for the night.  This was as far as his ticket would take him, and he wasn’t sure where else he could afford to go with the rapidly dwindling stash of cash in his pocket.  He wasn’t naive enough to pull it out and count it right there in the bus terminal - he was going to have to find somewhere quiet, private, and safe to check through his meager resources.     
  
He snagged a schedule from the pile in front of the closed ticket kiosk, shoved it in his pocket, and made his way to the entrance, where many of his bus-mates were hurrying to meet loved ones, friends, and drivers.  He wondered if a town this small had any Uber or Lyft drivers, and then he shook his head. Of course they did. A terminus would be an ideal place to pick up fares.   
  
There’d be no loved one waiting for him, and no Uber to take him somewhere else.  This was just a way station on the path he’d put off way too long. It wasn’t particularly late, but he was bone weary, wired and braced too long without respite.  He wasn’t sure what the optimal distance was to finally feel safe. He hadn’t found it yet, that much was certain. He’d have to regroup and figure out his next destination, and soon.   
  
He’d assumed he could stay overnight in the terminal, but it looked like security was locking the doors, and gently encouraging stragglers to take their leave.  One of the guards, a petite young woman with jaw-length red hair, glanced over at him, eyebrow raised like she was asking him a question. He wasn’t sure what answer he was supposed to give, but he felt the urge to make himself smaller as she smiled and came over to him.  Security meant discovery. And discovery meant -   
  
“We’re gonna be closing up in a few.  You have a place to go?” she asked gently, as if she was concerned she might spook him.  Well, he supposed he did have the look of someone who scared easily. He’d been scared a long time, after all.   
  
“Um, I thought I’d be able to stay here until the busses started out in the morning,” he admitted, feeling foolish for banking on an idea that was clearly just wishful thinking.   
  
“Sorry, we close the place down and lock up after the last bus pulls in.  We won’t open the doors again until 6. Look, if you need a place to spend the night, check out Cap’s Books, across the street.”   
  
“A bookstore?”   
  
She came a little closer, hand held up to calm him, and said softly, “He’s always got a place for someone who’s in need to stay.  He’s one of the good ones,” she added with a smile.   
  
“I’m not - I mean, I don’t -“   
  
“Tell ‘im Nat sent you.  That’s all you have to tell him.  You’ll be safe there.”   
  
“But -“   
  
She nodded toward the entrance, and he looked over his shoulder to see a red, white, and blue round thing with a white star in the middle, and over it, “Cap’s Books and Cafe” in silvery neon.  The street was dark and gloomy, the rain still a drizzle but dreary nonetheless. The store looked warm, inviting. Maybe it would be okay to just sit there for a bit while he figured out his next step.  He glanced back at her, at Nat, and tried to smile at her, but it was hard. He hadn’t done much smiling in a long time.   
  
“I can walk you over if you’d rather,” she offered.   
  
“Uh -“   
  
“Gimme a minute to finish up, and I’ll show you the way.”  Then she turned and called out to the other security person, a beautiful tall dark woman with lively eyes and muscles that spoke of strength and power.  An Alpha. Bucky felt the urge to turn and flee, but the other woman just waved at him, her smile infectiously cheery.   
  
“I got it.  But you’re gonna owe me a vodka neat at Rhodey’s.”   
  
“I’m good for it and you know it.”   
  
“See you there in ten?”   
  
“Got it,” Nat agreed with a chuckle.  Then she nodded toward the door. “Shall we?”   
  
“She’s an Alpha, and you’re a -“   
  
“A Beta.  Doesn’t mean shit.  I’m her supervisor. And her girlfriend,” she added with a grin.  They went through the glass doors and stood under the awning for a moment surveying the weather.  Still no pounding rain, just an incessant drizzle that made everything look diluted, unformed, casting rainbow-like halos around the street lights.  The temperature might be mild, but the mist and moisture made it seem chilly. Bucky pulled his jacket tighter and Nat smiled. “C’mon, let’s get you settled.  Cap makes great hot chocolate.” She stepped out from under the awning and looked back at him expectantly. “C’mon!”   
  
Then she trotted out into the damp, and he swallowed once, tamped down his fear, and followed her.   
  
The door to Cap’s was unlocked, and Nat let herself in and then waved Bucky through.  He was still holding his jacket closed with one hand, and clutching his duffle in the other.  A little bell over the door tinkled softly, announcing their presence, and Bucky felt a surge of panic, like he should be running before he was found and -   
  
“Be right there!  Come on in and make yourself at home!” came a deep voice, a voice that did things to Bucky.   
  
Shit.  Another Alpha.   
  
“Look, I appreciate -“   
  
“Trust me on this.  I said he was one of the good ones.  I meant it. You’ll be safe here.”   
  
“But you don’t even know me -“   
  
“I know it’s hard to accept help when all you’ve known is hurt.  Give it a shot. You got a phone?”   
  
Bucky nodded dumbly, thinking about the burner phone he’d bought at Wal-Mart before he’d gotten on the bus.     
  
“Put my number in it.  If you’re uncomfortable, you text me and I’ll come get you.  Okay? Hey, I don’t even know your name. You don’t have to tell me your real name, just a name I’ll recognize if you do text me.”   
  
“Bucky.  My name is Bucky.”   
  
“Well, Bucky, it’s nice to meet you.  Now put this number in your phone -“ she rattled off the digits while he dutifully keyed them into his contacts.  “I don’t think you’ll need it. But just in case, okay?”   
  
“Why?”   
  
“Why what?”   
  
“Why are you being nice to me?  What do you want from me? I don’t have anything -“   
  
“Whoa!  I don’t want anything from you.  I just want you to be safe. Seriously.  I ... you look like someone who could use some peace of mind, okay?  Maybe a friend?”   
  
“Then don’t leave me alone with an Alpha -“   
  
“So it’s true, you found us another stray.  Good,” a soft, foreign-sounding voice said then.  “I’m Wanda. Steve asked that I come out and greet you,” a pretty brunette with dark eyes and long lashes introduced herself.     
  
Nat relaxed, and smiled.  “Steve is Cap’s real name,” she explained to Buck, then directed her attention to the sweet-faced young woman who stood there, waiting quietly.  “Wanda, this is Bucky. He needs a place to stay until the station opens up again in the morning.”   
  
Wanda’s smile was electric, and Bucky couldn’t help but smile back.  “Well, in that case, you are most welcome, Bucky. We’re settling down for our evening meal, and there’s enough to share.  You joining us, Nat?”   
  
Nat shook her head.  “Got a hot date with my honey.  I owe her vodka.”   
  
Wanda snorted at that.  “When do you not? Never have I seen a couple who trade in vodka like the pair of you.  Not even ...” she shifted her head, as though her neck were suddenly tight and uncomfortable.   
  
“Not even like your parents.  I know, you’ve said that before.  Val’s not like that. Fortunately, not much of the world really is.  Just enough to be a problem.”   
  
“Like that?” Bucky asked, curious despite himself.   
  
“Wanda and Pietro’s parents were an unhappily mated pair.”   
  
“Our mother ... she was sold into marriage.  For the cost of a bottle of vodka. She learned to placate him with drink.  But when it didn’t work ...” Wanda shuddered.   
  
“What happened?” Bucky blurted then, his voice small as fear burned through him.  He didn’t want to hear, but part of him needed to know. But he also realized he’d crossed a line invading her privacy, and he immediately started to apologize, but Wanda waved off his concerns with a smile.   
  
“It’s okay.  We learn that speaking the truth reduces its power to hurt us.  Mama risked everything to get us out. To put us on the railroad. We learned later one time he went too far.  Killed her. Heard it on the news. He barely received a slap on the wrist. ‘Acted within his Alpha rights’.”   
  
“Which is why we exist,” that deep-voiced Alpha announced as he came out into the store. He wiped his hands on a towel and smiled broadly.  “And why we always offer a safe place to whoever needs it, regardless of why. I’m Steve, and you are welcome here. So why don’t we get you settled and you can join us for dinner.  I’m guessing you’d like to freshen up? Wanda, why don’t you show our guest where he can stow his things and wash up, huh? I’ll walk Nat out.”   
  
Wanda smiled then, and gestured for Bucky to follow.  He looked over his shoulder at Nat, who smiled encouragingly.   
  
These people could be leading him to his doom for all he knew.  He couldn’t conceive of kindness for the sake of kindness. But despite himself, he was curious, and that was something he hadn’t felt for far too long.  Even more, he felt the stirrings of hope, and that was even more out of reach. He nodded, and followed her.   
  
&&&   
  
Steve escorted Nat to the door and waited until they could hear Wanda’s voice recede before he said anything.   
  
“What tipped you off?”   
  
“Oh, the usual.  He looked lost and skittish.  Like everything was unfamiliar, scary.  That and his scent.”   
  
“Oh?”   
  
“He’s used so much scent block he doesn’t have any scent at all.  Didn’t you notice?”   
  
“The flatness?  Yeah, I did. I doubt he realizes he’s nullified his scent to the point of standing out. I’m guessing runaway of some sort.  Well, we’ll make him comfortable, figure out what he needs. Hopefully he can relax enough to get some rest.”   
  
“He made noises about getting another bus in the morning, but I don’t think he’s heading toward anything specific.  In fact, I think this may be the first time he’s ventured out on his own.”   
  
Steve blew out his breath softly.  “Okay. If no one’s waiting for him to arrive, then maybe Clint can help there.  Okay, thanks, Nat. We’ll do what we can for him. Give that gorgeous girl of yours a kiss from me.”   
  
“Not on your life, Rogers.  I don’t want her getting any ideas.  Keep me posted, okay?”   
  
He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and smiled.  “You bet.”   
  
&&&   
  
Wanda led Bucky through the bookstore into what looked like a hotel or hostel - or so he assumed from watching television.  He saw bedrooms branching off the hallway, some occupied by a single individual, some by small families, mostly mothers and children.  His forehead scrunched up in confusion, and finally he reached out and touched Wanda on the shoulder and asked, “What is this place?”   
  
She paused and turned to him, confusion evident on her face to mirror his.  “You don’t know? Weren’t you sent here?”   
  
“Sent here? By whom?  I, uh, I just bought a ticket.  As far as it would take me. From ... from -“   
  
“From someone who hurt you.  We all have traveled here to get away from someone who hurt us.  But most of us were guided here, by shelters, by brave people who dedicate themselves to helping those of us who are unable to help ourselves alone.  But you found us all on your own, with no guidance? Huh. Then clearly some higher power has guided your steps to bring you to us. This must be where you belong.  So let’s get you settled, and you can eat and rest. You are safe here. I promise you that - you are safe.”   
  
She spoke with such sincerity, such passion, Bucky had to wonder if perhaps she was right.  That he really had found somewhere where he wouldn’t have to be afraid. It was inconceivable.  But it was nice to dream.   
  
&&&   
  
His room - Wanda swore it was his to keep as long as he chose to stay - was nicer than the room he’d run from.  It was surprisingly large, with a comfortable bed, a nice desk with a decent desk chair, some friendly looking plants, even a window that looked out onto a lovely backyard.  There was even an inexpensive laptop and a refurbished tablet sitting on the desk, and he’d looked at those and back to Wanda with an incredulous expression.   
  
“The WiFi password is Freedom1918.  We’re on a VPN here so your IP address will be masked.  If there’s anyone you want to contact to let them know you’re safe, you can - they won’t be able to trace you back to here.”   
  
“How?”   
  
“You’ve heard of Tony Stark?”   
  
“He’s the world’s most famous Omega.  Who hasn’t?”   
  
“He’s one of the world’s most brilliant people.  And he developed the security the network uses. He also helps to fund the network.  He’s the public face of Omega rights, he and the King of Wakanda. But they both know that while they fight the fight with the governments of the world, there are those of us who need protection now.  You really knew none of this?”   
  
“I’ve not been allowed to read the news beyond the entertainment section.  No Internet access. Curated list of TV shows, mostly Omega house-wifey stuff.  I only got to leave the house to grocery shop, or pick up necessities at Wal-Mart.”   
  
“Oh my God.  Then how -?”   
  
“I’ve been putting a little aside with every shopping expedition.  Change. For years. Until I saved enough to buy a ticket. I don’t ... I don’t have much left.  But I got away.”   
  
“You got away.  You are ...” she shook her head, choked up.  Tears glistened in her large brown eyes.   
  
“Weak, I know.  It took me years to get away.”   
  
“No.  No, not weak.  Oh my God. Bucky - you are the bravest person I’ve ever met.  May I?” she asked then, opening her arms as if to hug him. He stared at her in shock for a moment, before he nodded and started to cry himself.  Then she enveloped her in her arms, holding him close, stroking the back of his neck, avoiding his scent glands and the damaged skin around them, but exuding her own calming, loving scent, enveloping him in comfort, in welcome, in safety.   
  
She held him like that until he’d cried himself out.  Then she released him and took a step back, lifted his chin and looked into his eyes with a smile.  “Feel better?”   
  
He nodded.   
  
“There’s a bathroom down the hall - there’s a little brass plaque on the door.  You can freshen up there. Take your time - the water pressure is great, but if you prefer a soak, there are some great bubbles in the cupboard - bath bombs, too.  We have a sit down meal, but there’s always something available to heat up, so don't feel rushed. And there’s almost always someone around to sit with you, to share.  We’re kind of a family here. And I am so happy to have you be part of it. Welcome home, Bucky.”   
  
&&&   
  
Steve was washing up from Wanda came into the big farm kitchen.  He looked up, and frowned at the scent of distress she broadcast.  “Something wrong, Wan?”   
  
“That boy.  I don’t know all the details.  But he’s been saving pennies for years to put together the money for his bus ticket.  My God, Steve. I can only imagine what he’s been through.”   
  
Steve dried his hands and put his towel aside, then turned and opened his arms to Wanda.  She went to him immediately, burying her face in his chest. He rumbled softly, his own scent nurturing, comforting.  “He’s with us now. We’ll take care of him. Whoever sent him to us -“   
  
She lifted her face and craned to look up at him.  “That’s just it - no one sent him. He found us all on his own.”   
  
“Nah, that can’t be right.  No one comes here just because they want to,” he chuckled.   
  
“You did.”   
  
“I was looking for something.  I found it here. And I keep finding it each time one of you find me.  Well, I guess it was just good luck he got here and Nat noticed him. Now we can help him.”   
  
“He’s very pretty,” she said,  sly note creeping in her voice, her demeanor.   
  
“What I saw of him, yes, I’d agree.”   
  
“Just your type.”   
  
“I don’t have a type, Wanda.  And I would never force myself on someone who came here for help.  You know that.”   
  
“I do.  But that doesn’t mean that the help he needs isn’t finding the right partner.  He’s been treated badly. Terrible scarring around his scent glands.”   
  
“A bond mark?”   
  
“Not where it counts.  Whoever had him tortured him but never bonded him.”   
  
“Jesus.  When he’s feeling stronger, more at ease, we’ll see if we can get some details.  Put Matt and Foggy on the case. An abusive Alpha like that deserves to be behind bars.”   
  
“He deserves to be dead,” Wanda said flatly.   
  
“We don’t decide the punishment, Wan.  But we make sure they face the consequences of the crime.  Everyone of those bastards we bring into the light, we get closer to making sure there are no more of them.”   
  
“I like my idea better.”   
  
“Evil flourishes in the dark, kiddo. We gotta drag it out into the light so it can be seen for what it is.”   
  
“So you say.  He’s settling in now.  Do you want me to wait for him?”   
  
“Nah, get your dinner and relax.  I’ll wait for him.”   
  
“He might not want to be around an Alpha, Steve.  Not with his experiences.”   
  
“I know.  And it’s not that I want to force myself on him.  But we’ve got to start somewhere. So maybe if I, an Alpha, wait on him, take care of him, an abused Omega, I can start to earn his trust, help him understand that he is worthy of kindness, of respect.  That the shit Alpha he knew doesn’t speak for us all.”   
  
“You’re cute when you’re speechifying, you know that, right?  He is pretty, after all.”   
  
“Wan ...”   
  
“Steve ... you deserve to be happy, too, you know.”   
  
“I’m happy when I get to help someone.  So, this is me. Being happy. All the time.”   
  
“Mmm-hmmm. Okay, enjoy your stay in Denial.  I’m going to eat now. You go clean yourself up.  You kind of smell like onions, Steve. Not very sexy.”   
  
“Not trying to be sexy, Wanda.”   
  
“Maybe you should think about trying, Steve.  I got a good feeling about you two,” she grinned impishly, and then flounced off to make her dinner.   
  
&&&   
  
Bucky had opted for a quick shower, but Wanda had been right - the water pressure was heavenly, and so was the hot water, so he’d lingered under the soothing spray, lost in a haze of unexpected pleasure.  When he realized he’d been wasting hot water, taking too long in the shower, he felt a crippling spike of panic until he realized that he was no longer a prisoner in his own home. No one was pounding on the door demanding he get out of the shower, no one was threatening him with pain and humiliation for allowing himself a few moments of peace, of comfort. No one was bothering him at all, in fact.   
  
He pulled a towel off the towel rack, and rubbed himself dry, enjoying the sensation of the soft terry wicking away the moisture on his blissfully clean body.  He worried for a second about washing away his scent blockers, but everything about Wanda, about her claims for this place, Nat’s gentle encouragement ... he steeled himself and allowed his natural Omega scent to rise of its own volition. It made him feel defiant, almost empowered.     
  
But he’d always seen himself as weak, as a coward.  The one he’d left behind had been even less charitable, comparing him to the basest of creatures, something to be used and disposed of when he had nothing more to offer.  And yet Wanda had told him he was brave. Could that be true?   
  
Could the kindness he saw in her eyes, in Nat’s, even in the Alpha, Steve’s ... could it all be genuine?   
  
He tugged on clean clothes he’d rescued from his duffle, hung the wet towel over the shower rod to dry, and stepped out into the hallway.  All that met his senses was a muted feeling of calm, low voices and gentle laughter, a blend of complimentary scents, of harmony. He could smell something good coming from the kitchen.  Wanda said he could go anytime to get something to eat. He realized he was starving, his last meal an energy bar a couple hundred miles ago.   
  
He found the kitchen easily by following his nose, but when he got there, he found Steve putting dishes away.  Nothing cooking, just Steve’s scent, something like warm cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven. Bucky tamped down his disappointment - he remembered loving cinnamon rolls when he was growing up, when his Ma would make them on Saturday mornings, a special treat.  And realizing that he hadn’t noticed Steve’s scent earlier made him pause. The scent blockers he’d been using hadn’t just masked his scent, they’d blocked his own ability to discern the scents of others.    
  
Damn, Wanda was right.  He’d been incredibly lucky to have made it this far.   
  
But food.  With a delicious smelling Alpha in the room.  He was hesitant, and was about to turn away when his stomach made its emptiness known in the most embarrassingly loud manner.   
  
Steve whirled at the sound, his stupid handsome face crinkling into a grin that lit up his stupid blue eyes.  Even his stupid hair looked good, damp and spiky like he’d just showered himself. And when did Bucky start noticing how stupid gorgeous he was anyway?   
  
“I need to feed you,” Steve announced with a smile.  “We got beef stew, roast chicken, salad if you’re into that sort of thing.  Soup. I can make you waffles -“   
  
“Cinnamon rolls?” Bucky asked hopefully, shocked at himself as soon as the words were out of his mouth.   
  
“Cinnamon rolls.  Sure. Out of a tube okay?  I’m not exactly a baker.”   
  
“Tube rolls are great.  So long as I get to put on the icing.”  Jesus, where was this bold Bucky coming from?   
  
“Okay.  That sounds like a plan.  We’ll work together.”   
  
That statement alone almost put Bucky in a state of shock.  Working together. Like partners. With an Alpha who wanted to care for him.   
  
Was Bucky still sleeping on the bus, dreaming of a fairytale world where Omegas like him were treated like real people?   
  
Steve went to the fridge and pulled out the tube of sweet rolls, and set about cracking the tube open and arranging the circles on a baking sheet he’d pulled from a cupboard.  “Set the oven to 350, will you?” he asked as he worked, and Bucky hurried to comply. “So, you have a sweet tooth, huh?”   
  
Bucky immediately stiffened up, and felt his anxiety spike.  Steve looked up sharply at that, and Bucky feared his scent had soured enough to earn him a strike.     
  
But Steve’s expression was soft, open.  “It’s okay. I don’t mean to pry. I just thought that maybe we could get to know each other, that I could put your concerns to rest.  You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”   
  
And the thing was, Bucky believed him.  Steve’s scent remained calm, welcoming, delicious even.  His posture didn’t change, didn’t brace like he was about to pounce, about to attack.  His pupils were normal, his body language relaxed. Everything about him spoke of calm, of safety.  Bucky just stared at him for a long moment, before he whispered, “Are you for real?”   
  
The look of sadness that crossed Steve’s face was heartbreaking.  Bucky never would have thought that he could feel bad for an Alpha, and yet here he was.  He’d also never thought he could be treated with kindness by an Alpha, and yet here was Steve, making cinnamon rolls for him just because he asked.   
  
“The oven’s hot enough.  Let’s get these in there, and we can sit down and relax, okay?  You want some tea? There’s always hot water going, and Wanda collects teas, so you can probably find something you like -“   
  
“Is this normal?  I mean, you’re an Alpha.  Why are you being so nice to me?  I’m just an Omega, I don’t have anything to offer you but my -“   
  
“Stop right there.  That’s your abuser talking.  Whoever they are, they’re not here.  And they are wrong. You broke free. Wanda told me you saved change for years to be able to get a ticket to get away from them.  You made a plan, you stuck to it, you made it happen. You rescued yourself. And now you’re here, and you’re free. You’re a hero, Bucky.  It’s my honor to do something for you. Honestly, your courage, it ... Jesus, I don’t know if I could have done what you’ve done. I don’t know that I could have survived what you have.  So, let me take care of you for a bit, okay? Let me do this for you, please.”   
  
“I ... I don’t know how to do that.”   
  
“It’s easy.  You sit, I serve.  What’s your favorite flavor of tea?”   
  
“I only know one, black.”   
  
“Okay.  Do you like fruit, or mint?  Chocolate?”   
  
“I didn’t get much of that.  I tried not to develop a taste for things I couldn’t have.  But, I remember the taste of raspberries from the market. I liked those.”   
  
“One cup of raspberry tea coming up.  Now, please, sit and make yourself comfortable, okay?  Please?”   
  
Bucky nodded warily and lowered himself into one of the chairs around the kitchen table.  It was comfortable, sturdy. He sat there watching Steve as he prepared the tea, and when Steve set the steaming mug in front of him, he inhaled deeply, enchanted by the fruity aroma of the tea.  Steve stood there, smiling expectantly, so Bucky lifted the mug, blew across the hot liquid, and then took a sip.   
  
It was wonderful.  He couldn’t help the smile, the wonder that lit his own face.   
  
And the scent of happy Alpha curled around him then, a scent he hadn’t smelled since his late teens, since before his Dad had died, and everything in his life had become one continuous, sour mess.    
  
He felt something unfurl inside himself then, a part of himself he’d kept hidden, protected, secret.  Held hidden even from himself. The part of him that wanted to be a partner, a mate, a someone special to another human being.  The part of him that thought that was possible. And that sudden rediscovery give him hope, knowing it hadn’t died at the hands of the one he’d left behind.  Knowing it had survived, knowing that he still had hope for a better future, it brought tears to his eyes. He let them slide down his face unbidden, and the crumpled look on Steve’s face only made him laugh.  It was a rusty, shattered sound, but it was a laugh nonetheless.   
  
“Your face,” he whispered, trying to catch his breath between chuckles.   
  
“I made you cry -“   
  
“I’m crying because I think I believe you.  This is weird and scary ...”   
  
Steve sat down across from Bucky then, extending his hands across the table, holding them open, palms up, waiting patiently for Bucky’s response.  With a deep breath, and a shake of his head, Bucky put his hands into Steve’s and let Steve’s fingers close gently over his, holding them in a surprisingly tender embrace.  The kitchen filled with the smell of baking cinnamon rolls, amplified by the tendrils of scent coming off Steve, swirling around him, embracing him.   
  
“You had no scent at all when you arrived.  Nat said she was surprised no one picked up on you being completely without scent.  Unnaturally so.”   
  
“I may have overdone the blockers.  I didn’t realize until after I showered that I couldn’t smell anyone either.”   
  
“Hmm.  But now ... now you smell like warm apple cider with cinnamon.”   
  
“You smell like cinnamon rolls.”   
  
“Is that why you asked for them?”   
  
“I thought that’s what someone was making. I used to love them as a kid.  I was disappointed when it was just you, and not warm gooey pastries.”   
  
“Okay.  I can’t argue that,” Steve replied with a chuckle.  “But now that both our scents are clean ...”   
  
“Our scents are complementary.  Pretty amazingly so.”   
  
“Mmm.”   
  
“It doesn’t have to mean anything.”   
  
“You just escaped a horrible relationship.  I would never presume.”   
  
“But ...?”   
  
“But.  But I’m very happy that whatever guided you brought you here, Bucky.  And I promise I will do all I can to keep you safe, to help you make your life whatever you want it to be. Everyone here will, and everyone here has the same rights and privileges.  You’ll always be free to go if that’s what you choose. But ... but I hope you’ll choose to stay. See what happens. At least for a little while. Let’s see -“   
  
“Yeah.  I think I might like that.  Especially if you’re gonna make me cinnamon rolls whenever I ask for them.  Isn’t it time to take them out of the oven? I haven’t had them in a long time.  I’m really looking forward to icing them. And I am really hungry.”   
  
“Yeah.  Yeah, let me get them.  And hey, there’s cider in the fridge.  Why don't we heat some of that up with cinnamon sticks.  See how they all work together? Cinnamon rolls and cider?” Steve suggested, the hope in his voice clear and candid.   
  
Bucky couldn’t help but smile.  He’d waited a long time to make this journey, and fear had been his constant companion.  But here, in this place where people sheltered in comfort and safety, in this warm kitchen with the wonderful scents of baking mixing with the tantalizing scents of a kind and beautiful Alpha, he thought that maybe this was exactly the time and place where he was supposed to be.   
  
He breathed deep, relishing the scents swirling around him, and smiled as he started to frost the cinnamon rolls, Steve hovering happily at his elbow.   
  
Something told him this was just the start of something ... wonderful.   
  
END

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning: There is discussion of past abuse, although there is nothing graphic. Bucky’s been abused and been basically the captive of the Alpha he’s escaped from. Wanda talks about her mother being abused by her drunken father, and that her mother was eventually killed by him.
> 
> Let me know what you think!
> 
> Find me on the web: https://linktr.ee/debwalshweb


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